Marking stripe and method of applying same



Aug. 11, 1959 J. H. WALKER ET AL 2,898,825

MARKING STRIPE AND METHOD OF APPLYING SAME Filed June 20, 1955 [HimHUEBNER,BEEHLER! WORRE L d HERZIG,

ATTORNEYS- United States Patent Q MARKING STRIPE AND METHOD OF APPLYINGSAME James H. Walker, 'Los Angeles, Scott W. Carr, Whittier, and CharlesH. Horn, Riverside, Califl, assignors to Limark Corporation, acorporation of California Application June 20, 1955, Serial No. 516,728

'5 Claims. (Cl. 94-15) The present invention relates to marking stripesand method for the application of stripes of tape to relatively flatsurfaces, and particularly to paved surfaces for the purpose of markingoff lanes and areas.

The conventional painted stripes on streets and highways aredisadvantageous in that it takes an appreciable amount of time for themto dry after they are painted on and they frequently become smearedbefore they have a chance to dry. To avoid this, the freshly paintedstreets and highways must be roped off to detour traffic. Freshly laidblacktop streets or roads cannot be striped with paint because the freshpaint is discolored by oils from the asphalt of the black topcomposition. Also, painted stripes have relatively poor wearingqualities. They are worn off in a relatively short time by trafiic andquickly become faint and indistinguishable. Furthermore, the componentsof paint are affected by weather conditions such as sunlight, rain, iceand snow, and in a relatively short time the painted stripes check,crack and peel from the paved surfaces. Painted stripes also aresusceptible to the deteriorating action of oils, especially moderndetergent oils, salt, and abrasive materials that are applied topavements to reduce the dangers of snow and ice on winter pavements.

Stripes of tape, on the other hand, can belaid on fresh black top, aredurable to wear and action by weather conditions, and oils or chemicals,but pose a problem of tape application. The tape application method andapparatus must be efficient, and the tape should be securely attached tothe smooth surface for immediate service.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention toprovide a method for the efficient application to surfaces of stripes oftape which are not readily deteriorated by chemical action, weather, orabrasive effects.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for theapplication of stripes of tape to pavements such as those of highways,streets, tennis courts, parking lots, factory interiors, and the like.

A further object is to provide a method for efficiently applying anopaque tape stripe to a paved surface by the use of adhesive materialand a roller which is protected from adhesive material squeezed out frombeneath the opaque tape by transparent tape applied between the opaquetape and the roller surface to cover the squeezed out adhesive material.

A still further object of this invention is to provide-a new andimproved marking stripe which is readily and quickly applicable on apaved surface, is durable to wear, resistant to action by weatherconditions, oils or chemicals, and is securely attached to the surfacefor immediate service.

,7 Additional objects will become apparent from the followingdescription.

ice

Broadly stated, apparatus for carrying out the method of the inventionmay comprise a moveable frame :carrying adhesive material applicationmeans, roller means for applying tape stripe material to the surface,andtape feeding means or such means may optionally comprise separatehand tools, if desired. The adhesive material application means isadapted for continuously applying a stripe of adhesive material to asurface. The roller means is adapted for rolling the tape onto a stripeof adhesive material previously applied to the surface and the tapefeeding means is adapted for continuously feeding tape around the rollermeans for application to the adhesive stripe. The method of inventioncomprises continuously applying a stripe of adhesive material to asurface, continuously applying opaque tape onto the adhesive stripe thusapplied, and continuously applying transparent tape of somewhat greaterwidth than the opaque tape over the freshly applied opaque tape andadhesive material squeezed out from beneath the opaque tape and beyondthe edges thereof.

A more detailed description of a specific embodiment of :the inventionis given with reference to the drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view showing the relationship between appliedadhesive material, opaque tape and transparent tape;

Figure 2 is a schematic view illustrating the method of applying astripe to a surface in accordance with this invention; 1

Figure 3 is an end view, in elevation, of adhesive material applicationmeans illustrated in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an end view of roller means of Figure 2, with parts brokenaway for greater clarity;

Figure 5 is an end view showing the relationship between appliedadhesive material, opaque tape and transparent tape; and

Figure 6 is an end View, similar to Figure 5, showing the relationshipthereof in its finished condition.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a specific method ofapplying a marking stripe to a relatively fiat surface or pavement 35 isillustrated. Thepresent method does not depend on any particularmachine, being capable of being performed with separate hand tools.Means for performing discrete steps of the process which may beconveniently arranged to form a continuously operating machine, aretherefore schematically represented for illustration purposes only anddo not form a part of the invention, per se.

To prepare a surface 35 for application of the marking stripe of theinstant invention, heated air and/or exhaust gas, from a gasoline engine(not shown) is discharged into a flue gas pipe 37. The hot exhaust gasesand optionally additional ihot flue gases are mixed in flue: gas .pipe37 and are directed against the surface 35 on'which a stripe is to beapplied.

A control valve 43 may be conveniently used ftoicontrol a supply of gasas through a line 46 leading to an additional source of heat such as atorch 47 directed downward againstthesurface area 35 in front of arotary brush 29. The heat of torch 47 and hotgasesfrompipe 67 arepreferably shielded to direct and concentrate the heat against thesurfacearea 35. g I r 4 A continuous length of opaque tape .52 is woundin-the form of 3.1011 48, which is unrolled .as the .tape 52 is pulledfrom .the roll 48. .A length .of transparent tapef55 is convenientlywound Iin'the form of aroll 54. The tape 55 is of somewhat greater widththan the opaque tape '52, as shown in Figures 1 and 3-6. Transparenttape'SS is unwound from roll 54 Whilelthe spool turns inaclook- AaA/ n g3 wise direction, as described in connection with spool 48.

A roller 56 is rotatably mounted as on a shaft 58 of a machine or handtool. The roller 56 is preferably surfaced with a cylinder 59 ofresilient material, such as rubber or similar material.

A suitable cement composition 30 is applied to the surface 35 priortoapplication of the tapes 52 and 55. One that has been used in practiceis made up of one part polyisobutylene and four parts steam blownasphalt. Other adhesive materials can, however, be used satisfactorily.

In accordance with this invention, the adhesive mixture 30 is pre-heatedto a desired temperature and fluidity by means (not shown) prior toapplication on the surface 35. After the adhesive mixture is properlyliquified, a valve as illustrated at 79 is opened, so that the adhesivemixture 30 discharges through line 82 and nozzle 83 onto a surfaceindicated at 35. At the same time, hot gases as from an engine (notshown) and other hot fiue gases as from a burner (not shown) aredischarged to the surface 35 through the exhaust pipe 37. Additionalheat is preferably supplied to the surface 35 by means of the torch 47,fired by liquified gas, as previously described.

As the adhesive mixture 30 strikes the paved surface 35, a rotatingbrush 2) is preferably used to evenly distribute the adhesive mixtureover the paved surface as between a pair of splash plates 84,illustrated in broken lines, to form a continuous stripe of adhesivematerial in front of roller 56. The width of the applied stripe ofadhesive material is determined by the distance between adjustablymounted splash plates 84 in the event such plates are used. The roller56 is brought above the resulting adhesive stripe. Opaque tape 52 andtransparent tape 55 are partially unrolled and strips thereof arebrought into superimposed relationship with respect to each other sothat the opaque tape 52 is on top of the transparent tape 55 and equallyspaced from both sides of the transparent tape. The resulting strip ofdouble tape is fed over the surface of roller cylinder 59. The strip ofdouble tape is forced by the roller 56 onto the continuously producedadhesive stripe 30 with the opaque tape 52 in contact with the adhesivematerial 30 and the transparent tape 55 overlying the opaque tape 52.The opaque tape 52 adheres to the adhesive cement stripe 30.

Some of the adhesive material 30 is forced out from beneath the opaquetape 52 and beyond the edges thereof by pressure applied to the roller56. The transparent tape 55 is made of greater width than opaque tape52, and covers the adhesive material 30 forced to the sides of theapplied opaque tape stripe as it is forced from beneath the opaque tape.The greater width of the transparent tape 55 thus protects roller 56from the adhesive cement. In this manner the roller 56 does not pick upany of the cement 30 and does not, therefore, become covered with stickymaterial and adhering dirt and debris. At the same time, the transparenttape 55 is cemented at its sides to the adhesive material 30 squeezedout from beneath the applied opaque tape 52.

The net result of this operation is that a neat stripe of opaque tape 52is continuously laid down over the adhesive stripe 30 and a protectivetransparent strip of tape 55 is continuously attached or cemented at itsoverlapping edges to the pavement surface 35 above the opaque tape 52 bycement forced to the sides of the opaque tape. The transparent tape 55gives effective temporary protection to the opaque tape 52 from traflicwear and tear during the period of time in which the adhesive material30 is cooling and setting. The transparent tape 55 also prevents theadhesive material that has been squeezed beyond the edges of the opaquetape from being smeared over the exposed surface of the applied opaquetape 52 stripe by the action of passing traflic, causing defacement ofthe stripe similar to that which often occurs in the case of freshlyapplied painted stripes.

to one skilled in the art.

.4 cause the transparent tape to shrink and rupture. During thisprocess, the transparent tape 55 becomes detached from above the opaquetape 52. In a relatively short time, usually after several days,weathering and wear of the tape will cause complete detachment of thetransparent tape 55, and the opaque tape 52 will remain as a permanentmarking strip securely attached to the pavement or smooth surface 35.The effectiveness of the opaque tape as a permanent trafiic marker, orother marker, is not in the least impaired by the temporary use of thetransparent tape as a shield.

Opaque tapes of a wide variety of materials and of different colors canbe used. Thus the opaque tape can be made of a wide variety of syntheticplastic materials, fabrics of natural or man-made fibers or threads suchas synthetic fibers, glass, asbestos, metals, and the like. An opaquetape that has given satisfactory results in practice is made up of twoparts polyvinyl chloride resin, one part plasticiser consisting ofdiisooctyl phthalate, and one part of a suitable pulverized filler, suchas clay. The plasticiser serves the purpose of resisting weathering dueto sunlight, and extremes of temperature and moisture. The plasticiserused in the mixture has been found not to migrate under extremevariations in weather conditions. The transparent tape can be made ofany relatively inexpensive transparent material such as regeneratedcellulose or cellophane, polyethylene, and similar materials.

After a strip of tape of desired length has been applied, thesuperimposed tape is conveniently cut by means not shown.

The foregoing description is primarily for explanatory purposes, and isgiven to illustrate a specific embodiment of the invention. It isunderstood that many variations in the structure, design and arrangementof the various elements of the stripe application apparatus will occurAccordingly, it is understood that such changes and modifications of theinvention illustrated and described above may be made within the scopeof the appended claims without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for applying a marking stripe to a surface, comprising:continuously applying to said surface a stripe of settable plasticadhesive material, said material being flowable under pressure at thetime of its application; continuously superimposing an opaque tape ofuniform width and a transparent tape Wider than said opaque tape withboth edges of said transparent tape extending substantially beyond theedges of said opaque tape; and pressing the superimposed tapes upon saidstripe of adhesive material with the opaque tape lowermost, said stripeof adhesive material being of sufficient width and thickness that theentire surface of said opaque tape is secured to said first surface andsaid transparent tape is temporarily secured over said opaque tape byadhesive material squeezed from beneath said opaque tape.

2. A method for applying a marking stripe to a paved surface,comprising: continuously applying to said surface a stripe of settableplastic adhesive material of uniform width, said material being flowableunder pressure at the time of its application; continuouslysuperimposing an opaque tape of approximately the same width as saidadhesive stripe and a transparent tape wider than said opaque tape withboth edges of said transparent tape extending substantially beyond theedges of said opaque tape; and pressing the superimposed tapes upon saidstripe of adhesive material with said opaque tape lowermost, said stripeof adhesive material being of sufiicient width and thickness that theentire lower surface of said opaque tape is secured to said pavedsurface and said transparent tape is temporarily secured over saidopaque tape by adhesive material squeezed from beneath said opaque tape.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein said adhesive ma- Moistureandcondensation, such as rain, snow and dew terial is a moltenthermoplastic adhesive.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein said paved surface is heated prior toapplication of said molten thermoplastic adhesive material thereto.

5. A marking stripe applied to a paved surface, comprising: anelongated, traflic-resistant opaque tape of uniform width; a settableadhesive stripe Wider than said opaque tape securing the entire lowersurface of said opaque tape to said paved surface; and a transparenttape wider than said opaque tape superimposed thereover and having itsopposed edges secured by said adhesive to said paved surface outwardlyof said opaque tape on both sides thereof, said transparent tape beingdestructible by traflic but adapted to temporarily protect said opaquetape from loosening and defacement until said adhesive is completelyset.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS BryanAug. 11, 1931 Radzinsky Jan. 10, 1933 Moore Jan. 24, 1933 Hoyos Mar. 21,1933 Stephens July 10, 1934 ONeal Mar. 5, 1940 Tuve Feb. 15, 1944Farrell et al. Aug. 3, 1948 Ptasnik Nov. 8, 1949 Moyer Apr. 11, 1950FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 10, 1954

